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Tesla to increase Model 3 power and top speed in upcoming software update

Tesla Model 3s competing at TeslaCorsa event in Buttonwillow Raceway Park, CA [Credit: Tesla Corsa]

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Tesla’s Model 3 fleet will get an increase in power through an upcoming over-the-air firmware update, slated for sometime in March. Model 3 Performance will also see its top speed increase by 7 mph or 10 km/h.

“Firmware update coming later this month will increase power by ~5% & top speed by 10 km/h or 7mph,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Saturday afternoon via Twitter.

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Musk’s tweet further validates the company’s recent announcement that Model 3 Long Range with rear-wheel drive will soon get an increase in range from 310 miles to 325 miles per single charge, while the top speed for Model 3 Performance will increase from 155 mph (250 km/h) to 162 mph (261 km/h) through a number of upcoming firmware upgrades.

Update: Top speed for Tesla Model S will also be raised to 162 mph, according to Elon Musk. Although Musk didn’t indicate which version of the Model S will be eligible for the firmware update with improvement to top speed, one can presume that it’ll be Model S Performance which is currently limited to 155 mph.

“We’d electronically limited the Model 3 Performance to 155 mph. That was not a physical limit but an electronic limit. After a lot of testing, we now feel we can increase that limit by 10 km/h or 7 mph, and that just ends up being an rpm increase in the motors. The two motors just spin faster. I think they’re going somewhere along the lines of 19,000 rpm,” explained Musk during a call with the press following Tesla’s announcement of the $35,000 Model 3.

Other Model 3 variants including the Mid Range and Dual Motor Long Range will also be receiving the performance-boosting firmware update.

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We’re particularly interested in seeing the impact this will have on the Tesla Model 3 Performance with track mode enabled. With an approximate 450 horsepower and 471 lb-ft of torque from its dual motors, Model 3 Performance will become an even greater dominating force on the track, especially with a 5% increase in power or roughly 23 horsepower.

Gene has been obsessed with cars since before he could legally sit in the front seat. Writer, researcher, unofficial CS support, accountant, native suit guy when needed, and overall stick poker. He approaches every story the way he approaches a road trip: with too much enthusiasm, not enough planning, and a surprisingly good outcome. gene@teslarati.com

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Tesla uses Model S and X ‘sentimental’ value to enforce massive pricing move

By slashing production and creating immediate scarcity, the company has transformed these remaining vehicles into limited-edition relics. The price hike is not driven by rising material costs or new features.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is using the “sentimental” value that CEO Elon Musk talked about with the Model S and Model X to enforce one of the most massive pricing moves it has ever applied as it begins to phase out the flagship vehicles.

Tesla quietly executed one of its most calculated pricing plays yet. After officially ending production of the Model S and Model X, the company raised prices on every remaining new and demo unit by roughly $15,000.

The refreshed starting prices now sit at:

  • $109,990 for the Model S AWD
  • $124,900 for the Model S Plaid
  • $114,900 for the Model X AWD
  • $129,900 for the Model X Plaid

Every vehicle comes fully loaded with the Luxe Package, Full Self-Driving Supervised, four years of premium connectivity and service, and lifetime free Supercharging. What looks like a simple inventory adjustment is, in reality, a masterclass in monetizing nostalgia.

These are not ordinary cars. For many owners, the Model S and Model X represent the purest expression of Tesla’s original promise—the sleek, over-engineered flagships that proved electric vehicles could be faster, quieter, and more desirable than their gasoline counterparts.

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Tesla removes Model S and X custom orders as sunset officially begins

They are the vehicles that carried Elon Musk’s vision from Silicon Valley startup to global automaker.

The final units rolling off the line carry an emotional weight that numbers alone cannot capture. Buyers are not simply purchasing transportation; they are acquiring a piece of Tesla history, the last examples of the very models that defined the brand’s first decade.

Tesla, with this move, understands this sentiment deeply.

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By slashing production and creating immediate scarcity, the company has transformed these remaining vehicles into limited-edition relics. The price hike is not driven by rising material costs or new features.

It is driven by the knowledge that a certain segment of buyers, loyalists, collectors, and enthusiasts, will pay a premium precisely because these cars are about to disappear. The strategy converts emotional attachment into margin.

Where other automakers might discount outgoing models to clear lots, Tesla is betting that sentiment is worth more than volume.

The move also quietly rewards existing owners. Scarcity instantly boosts resale values for the hundreds of thousands of Model S and X already on the road, reinforcing brand loyalty among the very people who helped build Tesla’s reputation.

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In the end, Tesla’s pricing decision reveals a sophisticated understanding of its audience. As the company pivots toward next-generation platforms, it has found a way to extract one final, lucrative chapter from its heritage.

For buyers willing to pay the new prices, the premium is not just for the car; it is for the feeling of owning the last true originals. Tesla has turned sentiment into strategy, and in the process, reminded everyone that even in the EV era, emotion remains a powerful line on the balance sheet.

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Tesla broadens most-wanted Model Y to eight new markets

This rollout targets Asia’s booming EV adoption, driven by family buyers seeking practicality without sacrificing performance or luxury. It positions Tesla against rising local competitors offering affordable three-row options.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla has broadened the availability of the most-wanted Model Y trim to eight new Asian markets, expanding the footprint of what is one of the most highly requested vehicle configurations in the U.S.

Tesla has officially launched ordering for the Model Y L, its long-wheelbase six-seater electric SUV, across eight key Asian territories: Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

The announcement signals a major expansion for the family-oriented variant first introduced in China in August 2025. In Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the vehicle had already been previewed at several motor shows, so fans in the area were familiar with the Model Y L and its distinct differences to the standard-sized trims.

Local pricing reflects taxes, incentives, and import duties. Malaysia estimates RM260,000 with Q2 2026 deliveries; Singapore lists S$248,999 (including COE); Macau prices at 398,750 patacas. Similar competitive positioning is expected in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines, where the Model Y L undercuts many traditional three-row SUVs while offering full EV benefits.

This rollout targets Asia’s booming EV adoption, driven by family buyers seeking practicality without sacrificing performance or luxury. It positions Tesla against rising local competitors offering affordable three-row options.

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Notably, the Model Y L remains unavailable in the U.S. market, where demand for a stretched Model Y has been high. Although CEO Elon Musk said that something “way cooler than a minivan” is on the way in the U.S., the dimensions of the Model Y L simply fit the needs of many American families.

Elon Musk says Tesla is developing a new vehicle: ‘Way cooler than a minivan’

The Model Y L stands out with its stretched dimensions: 4,976 mm long and a 3,040 mm wheelbase—179 mm and 150 mm longer, respectively, than the standard Model Y. Height increases slightly to 1,668 mm, creating a true three-row, 2+2+2 layout with individual captain’s chairs in the second row for easier third-row access.

Maximum cargo capacity reaches 2,539 liters with seats folded, making it ideal for growing families or those needing versatile space in dense urban environments. But it’s not just a grocery-getter or a kid-hauler: The performance matches Tesla’s reputation.

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Dual-motor all-wheel drive delivers 0-100 km/h acceleration in about 5.0 seconds (or 4.5 seconds in some market specs), with a top speed of 201 km/h. The vehicle boasts a WLTP-rated range of up to 681 km, supported by an approximately 88-97 kWh battery pack (market-dependent) and 250 kW DC fast charging.

With deliveries slated for Q2 2026 and strong early interest mirroring China’s rapid pre-orders, the Model Y L could become a bestseller in these dynamic markets. Tesla’s targeted expansion essentially generalizes its commitment to tailoring vehicles to regional needs while advancing sustainable mobility across Asia.

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Tesla hit by Iranian missile debris in Israel

A Tesla in Israel absorbed a direct hit from missile debris, and the glassroof held.

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Tesla Model Y glass roof shattered from a piece of falling Iranian missile debris

On March 30, 2026, Lara Shusterman was in Netanya, Israel when Iranian ballistic missiles triggered air raid sirens across the city. While she remained in safety, her 2024 Tesla Model Y did not escape untouched. A heavy piece of missile debris struck the car’s massive glass roof, leaving a deep crater but without shattering. In a Facebook post to the Tesla Israel community the following morning, Shusterman described what happened: “The glass did not shatter into dangerous shards. She stopped the damage and pushed the metal part to the ground.” She closed by thanking Elon Musk and the Tesla team for building what she called “security and a sense of trust even in extreme situations.”

Netanya is a coastal city in central Israel, roughly 18 miles north of Tel Aviv and has been among the areas most frequently struck during Iran’s ongoing missile campaign, following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military infrastructure. Falling shrapnel from intercepted missiles is a common occurrence.

Source: Tesla Israel Facebook Group

The incident is a testament to Tesla’s structural engineering. Tesla’s glass roof is designed to support over four times the vehicle’s own weight. That strength has shown up in real-world accidents too. In 2021, a Model Y in California was struck by a falling tree during a storm, with the glass roof holding firm and the cabin remaining intact. In another widely reported incident, a Tesla Model Y plunged 250 feet off the cliff at Devil’s Slide in California in January 2023, with all four occupants, including two young children, surviving.

Disturbing details about Tesla’s 250-foot cliff drop emerge amid initial investigation

Tesla officially launched sales in Israel in early 2021 and captured over 60 percent of Israel’s EV market in the first year. The brand’s foothold in Israel remains significant. Tens of thousands of Teslas are now on Israeli roads, making incidents like Shusterman’s easy to corroborate. On the same week her Model Y took the hit, the U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a $178.5 million contract to launch missile tracking satellites, a separate but fitting reminder of how intertwined the Musk ecosystem has become with the realities of modern conflict.

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